How did a humble bean conquer the world and brighten mornings across the globe? Uncommon Grounds tells the glorious tale of the second largest export in the world, from its historic discovery on the hills of ancient Abyssinia to the time when Starbuck stopped meaning first mate on the Pequod in Moby Dick and started recasting Seattle as a caffeine epicenter. In this book, author Mark Pendergrast analyzes the dramatic shifts in coffee culture over the last decade, from the devastating “Coffee Crisis” that caused global prices to collapse to the emergence of the Fair Trade movement and the new devotees of the juggernaut that is joe. With an excellent focus on the coffee business and international markets, Uncommon Grounds also provides guidance on the competitive marketing strategies used by coffee companies in the Americas from the past century, including the history of the bean and its role in inspiring coffee-producing countries and powerfully affecting their trade relations with the United States. If you enjoy sprightly, scholarly writing on the world’s best way to wake up, you will surely enjoy this read!
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